We recently sat down with David Warner, PVCC student and visual artist to discuss his work, his experience at PVCC and his creative process. David's colorful, symbolic paintings explore themes of loss and gain, perseverance, and the search for one’s own integrity and truth. He expresses these ideas through a combination of abstract and surreal elements.

"Rebirth"

"Taking the Dark to Light"

When did you know you were an artist?

I started drawing when I was about 3 years old. At the time it was something that I really enjoyed and lost myself in. At one point when I was about 5 or 6 I remember vividly experiencing this physical and spiritual rush of excitement. It was around this point that I realized I loved drawing. Around the same age I was drawing Biblical stories, scenes from Moby Dick, whales and scenes from movies such as “Jaws”, “Indiana Jones” and others. I was also interested in acting and directing for a long time and that deep passion has stayed with me as I’ve gotten older.

How did you begin painting?

I first started painting seriously about 4 or 5 years ago. From a very early age I was very invested in drawing with pen and graphite before people started continuously encouraging me to use color in my work (something I was initially resistant to). I first tried oil painting when I was a senior in High School: there one was one night when I decided to bring a canvas and paints home and I painted for about 4 or 5 hours. It was that night that I realized oil painting was my passion. For some reason, the blending, the application and feel of the paint made so much sense to me and I was able to pick up the process very quickly.

"The Plants Never Worry About Blooming"

"The Thing That Makes Me Slow Is The Thing that Makes Me Drive"

Are you attracted to any other visual forms of art?

Yes. Around the same time that I picked up drawing at a young age, movies were another thing that I absolutely loved and obsessed over. To this day, I am a very committed and passionate film-watcher.

How do you decide what you will paint?

Currently it is something that just comes to me. These days I just sit down in front of the canvas and let it loose. Right now I am invested in bringing several ways of painting something (aesthetically and technically) into a singular painting. Creativity is something that is always there, but on some days I feel it strongly and on other days I struggle to really tap into it. When I first started oil painting around 2012-2013 I would draw and sketch out the idea a few times before I would finally commit it to canvas. For the past year I have been working on a process where I start painting an image that is planned out and I destroy it (usually out of frustration) by painting over it with an abstract field. Once the painting dries, I got to it again and fully flesh out my idea. Sometimes it’ll take a couple of months to fully finish a painting, so I try to have a few going during the same time. My process is always evolving and changing and I try my best to go with it.

"Speaking To You is Like Breathing"

"Watcher of Thought"

What are your influences?

My influences span from movies, music and painting to psychology, spirituality and day-to-day experiences. My earlier influences came from film, but at around the same time I was exposed to painters such as Salvador Dali and Renee Magritte whose work had a tremendous impact on me. For about 3 or 4 years I would hole up in my room and study works by Vincent Van Gogh, Wassily Kandinsky, Jean Michel-Basquiat, Henri Matisse, Caravaggio, Pablo Picasso, Milton Avery and Jackson Pollock among many others. Recently, musicians such as Aphex Twin and John Frusciante have profoundly impacted and spurred on the way I express myself. Film directors such as Paul Thomas Anderson, Michael Mann, John Carpenter and Danny Boyle have always had a special place in my heart. My art professor, Adria Pecora has had a tremendous impact on me during my stay at Paradise Valley Community College. Her versatility, talent and insight as an artist really helped me improve as an artist. She has a way of approaching the creative process and articulating the ideas behind the process that I really admire and look up to.

What is the most difficult aspect of your creative process?

I think that one of the more difficult things about the creative process is not over-thinking it. I have noticed that having expectations for my art is something that does not work for me at this point in my journey. If I approach the canvas with a specific idea that is already mapped out, I struggle to maintain interest. At this point, the creative process has a mind of its own and if I am fortunate enough to organize all of these things in my head without forcing it at the right time, I am truly satisfied. The old cliché “organized chaos” rings true for me. Part of the creative process is relaxing into the frame of mind where thoughts fade and you loosen your grip on control. When you reach that point, the creativity just pours out. So, the difficult part is relaxing and going with it, not against it.

"Past, PRESENT, Future"

What is the most rewarding aspect?

Drawing and painting is always something I have done to find a quiet place where everything makes sense to me. As I have gotten older, I have found that the creative process is inseparable from my spirituality and faith. Painting allows me to explore myself spiritually and connect with God. I feel that I can truly explore my thoughts and emotions and express these things through painting and drawing. It's my way of connecting and communicating to other people. At this point in my artistic journey, connecting with other people is the other most rewarding aspect. If I can communicate myself to people and have an emotional reaction and response, I feel that I have done my job as an artist.

"Sea of Frequency"

What would you change about your talents if you could?

I still have that voice that comes up and says, “You can do this better, why can’t you do THAT? What is not working in this painting?” I find that that critical voice can really push me to improve as an artist, but I still have to remind myself to appreciate and love what I do paint. I think most artists are like this. I want to find that balance of being objective and improving my craft but also appreciating and loving what I am doing. On a lighter note I would love to be able to play and create music. It is something that I have absolutely no channel to.

What has been your experience at PVCC?

I have had an absolutely incredible, life-changing experience at this school. For a while I was lost and not sure as to what path to take in my life. All of my classes at this institution have been excellent and I simply enjoy walking the campus and encountering the faculty and fellow students who make this whole experience unique and fulfilling.

"Nostalgic Sadness"

Describe a positive interaction with a PVCC professor.

A couple of years ago I was finally convinced to return to school after years of shrugging it off. I attended SCC and was heading toward a degree in film before I dropped out. I had been lost for about 3 years prior to the decision to return to school. During my first semester at PVCC I attended a life-drawing class taught by Adria Pecora. I was initially terrified and very within myself; I hadn’t been to school in years and I was afraid. Adria from the first week was able to bring out my passion and my desire for learning. She basically opened my mind to all sorts of new possibilities creatively and gave me a support system that to this day I am absolutely grateful for. She has been incredibly helpful and committed to me as a PVCC student. I credit her as being an integral part of my transformation as an artist and as a person. She helped guide me to where I am now. I’ll be attending the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for my undergraduate degree and she encouraged me to take those steps to achieve that goal. She wrote an amazing letter of recommendation for me and I am very grateful for all of her support. She is an amazing artist, a supportive teacher and a good friend.

"Pain and Pleasure"

Describe the group/community/class environment in your art classes.

I have found that the art classes are THE place to really engage with fellow students. Art is communication. I think the art classes offered at PVCC provide an atmosphere where students can really engage and learn about each other through expression. The whole experience is very enjoyable, supportive and therapeutic. I would highly recommend that even people who are not headed toward a degree in the Art field attend at least one class. There are many opportunities here and the professors are excellent.

You were recently featured in a gallery show at the Center for Performing Arts, how did that feel?

It felt great to represent my school. Most of my paintings if not all were gathering dust in my room and I was waiting to get them out there for people to see. The only people who were aware of them were my art professors, colleagues, friends and family. To have several of them displayed for a month was a great feeling. I was happy to be in the show alongside other PVCC student artists.

How did you select which pieces to enter?

I kind of knew immediately which pieces I wanted to put in the show, but there was some deliberation between pieces I wasn’t so sure about. I asked my family and friends to choose which pieces they liked best. I didn’t rely absolutely on their opinions, but I did take into account what they had to say. I still struggle sometimes with choosing the pieces for myself rather than relying on critiques and opinions from other people. I do consider art to belong to both the artist and the viewer, so I do take critiques objectively and I try to see how people respond to certain works. Granted, I will never change something in my work because of someone else’s opinion.

What do you hope viewers think or feel when they interact with your work?

As long as a viewer can be intrigued and interested with what I have painted, I am truly happy. I want my art to make people happy. I want people to experience a familiarity to my work that resonates with their own life. I want to connect with people on an emotional level and if I have done that I have done my job as an artist successfully.

Taylor Wilson: Mixed Media

Wilson’s work focuses on duality of internal and external views of divorces and the ways it affects the family. Her imagery and structure is meant to allow people to feel the impact of divorce that becomes so ingrained in the notion of what it brings about.

David Warner: Painting

Warner’s work explores themes of loss and gain, perseverance, and the search for one’s own integrity and truth: both conscious and subconscious progression through adversity and the search for inner truth. He expresses these ideas through a combination of abstract and surreal elements.

Michael Moretti: Photography

For Moretti, photography is often aside effect of venturing out into nature and absorbing the whole experience. Taking what’s before him and trying to convey the experience through a single photo. Much of his work and way of thinking is influenced by the many great photographers who have been featured in Arizona Highways magazine.

Tuesday Nights

Wednesday Nights

Music Technology Workshops focusing on techniques in Studio Recording, Audio Mixing, Electronic Music and more!Center for the Performing Arts Computer Lab (CPA 120)

Thursday Nights

Singer/Songwriter Open MicCenter for the Performing Arts Lobby/Art GalleryAll styles of music, spoken word and poetry are encouraged.Performers will need to sign up at 6:00pm to perform.

SUMMER MUSICAL: DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

irty Rotten Scoundrels by Jeffery Lane and David Yazbek directed by Andrea Robertson. Based on the popular 1988 MGM film, our summer musical takes us to the French Riviera for high jinx and hilarity. Lawrence Jameson makes his lavish living by talking rich ladies out of their money. Freddy Benson swindles women by waking their compassion about his grandmother's failing health. After meeting on a train, they attempt to work together only to find that this small French town isn't big enough for the two of them! Show Dates: June 17, 18, 24, 25 at 7:30pm and 19, 26 at 2:00pm.$15 adults; $12 seniors/staff; $10 students/military; $8 children*4 additional ticket fee at the door 1hour prior to performance.

Phoenix Art Museum, Whiteman HallOpen to the Public, Admission is FreeA Private Reception for CF Members and Award Recipientsto follow in the Great Hall

Saskia Jordá is an interdisciplinary artist whose work encompasses site-specific installation, soft sculpture, and drawing. Using iconic images that repeat as multiples, Saskia explores the idea of skin as a multi-layered artifact. Saskia Jordá: A Geography of Line uses the vocabulary of mapping and geography to further explore themes of mobility, home, and connection to place, often reflected through fictional landscapes and alternate terrains.

Saskia’s presentation will be followed with the announcements of the 2016 Contemporary Forum Artists Grants Recipients and the Arlene and Morton Scult Contemporary Forum Artist Award Recipient. Afterwards, walk through the Harnett Gallery and view the remarkable contemporary works created by the 2015 award recipients.2015 Artist Award RecipientSaskia Jordá

Phoenix Art Museum is now accepting online reservations for lectures in Whiteman Hall.To make your online reservation, visit https://tickets.phxart.org/public/show.asp and scroll down to the event (all events are listed by date). Your reservation secures a general seat in Whiteman Hall. (It does not secure an assigned seat.) Early arrival recommended for best seating selections. Walk-ins will be accepted the night of the lecture if seats are still available.

All the art objects were laid out prior to the installation. The class made over 200 flowers and bugs for the project.Pictured left to right: Nicole Nielsen, Michael McCarthy, Daniel Reed (Amber Ries Manning behind) - all 3D students

The PVCC Sustainability Club and the Art Department’s 3D Design class have teamed up to create an art installation in KSC Building in the bright green recycle bin area. The display is all about educating students and visitors about the do’s and don’t’s of material recycling. Often, students will deposit recyclable items in the trash, and visa versa, trash items in the recycle bins. Initiated by the PVCC Sustainability Club, this installation is a fun and visually exciting way to educate everyone.

Approached by the club, students in the ART 115 3D Design class surveyed the location and brainstormed to create a textural, dimensional display of flowers and bugs, all made from the recyclable materials that will be listed as part of this display. Against the backdrop of the recycle bin area, this amazing collection of objects calls attention to the Sustainability Club’s message while providing a whimsical and surprisingly beautiful art installation.

Installation was a group effort between the 3D Design Class and members of the Sustainability Club. The club also collected much of the materials used for the art objects.Pictured: foreground - Amber Ries Manning, 3D student, and Amber Bingham, Sustainability Club member

As the installation progressed, the swirling patterns began to emerge and take shape.Pictured: foreground - Michael McCarthy, Nicole Nielsen, 3D students - above lt to rt - Brigette Pina Sustainability Club member, Noa Paden 3D student, and Amber Bingham, Sustainability Club member

Materials included plastic bottles and lids, aluminum cans, cardboard, newspaper, junk mail catalogs, office waste paper, and printed food boxes. The variety of designs and methods for making the art objects was unlimited. Each item is individually attached to the wall with magnets.

The overall final installation includes information about what materials belong in the recycled bin and what do not, providing information for on-campus best practices, but also messages about at-home recycling as well.

The Center for the Performing Arts Gallery at Paradise Valley Community College is pleased to announce the Emerging Student Artist Series for 2016, highlighting up and coming student artists Fallon Shell-Kenny, Gayana Babiyan, and Ping Yi-Rivera.

The artwork will be on view from February 29, to March 24, 2016. The reception is Wednesday, March 2, at 5:30pm. The reception is open to the public; light refreshments will be served. The exhibit will be closed during Spring Break, March 14 - 18. The CPA Gallery is open and free to the public, Monday through Friday, 9am - 5pm. Parking is available on the NE side of the CPA.

Ping Yi-Rivera

Mixed Media

Ping’s installation is a visualization of life in her neighborhood unofficially known as “The Square”, and profiled as one of the most densely populated and poorest square miles in Arizona. Her mixed media drawings are meant to invite you to see with your eyes and to ponder life with in “The Square”.

Fallon Shell-Kenny

Ceramics

As a child, Fallon used to love playing with my food. It gave her the freedom to freely express all of the thoughts and feelings that she could not at the time express with words. Her pieces are a reflection of this want to play with food now as an adult.

Gayana Babiyan

Photography

Gayana believes that every human being appreciates beauty. However, each of us finds it in different things. As for her, she has been fascinated by beauty since childhood. Moreover, she is happy now beauty not only in her mind, but on her photographs which she can share thebeautiful moments with others.

Phoenix Experimental Arts Festival

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Paradise Valley Community College

Center for the Performing Arts (CPA)

#puttingtheAinsteam

Events/Activities:

12:00pm-4:00pm: OPEN HOUSE

Center for the Performing Arts Lobby/Gallery:

• PLAY, located in the SE corner of the gallery, is an interactive sound installation featuring a Theremin (electronic musical instrument) and several audio filters to alter the sound (via guitar effects pedals). Visitors are invited to PLAY the theremin and engage the guitar effects pedals to create unique tambres. In addition, schematic diagrams of the theremin and filters will be displayed for those interested in electronics and engineering.

• D!G, located in the West corner of the gallery. Designed as a dance/installation piece, D!G comprises 22 self-contained microprocessor/sensor/speaker assemblies. Each assembly utilizes a micro SD card to store and playback sensor data and a LiPo battery for power. Sensor/speaker assemblies are covered by hand-made crocheted pieces to give them a more appealing aesthetic. In playback mode in installation, sensors are distributed on string tapestries throughout the gallery. The intention is to allow audiences a more exploratory approach to the sound. Other features of the installation include a subsonic vibrating bench and tablets preloaded with an Android app. All elements work with the concept of the measurement/capture/representation of movement.

Center for the Performing Arts Music Room (CPA 115):

• A live electro-acoustic music performance featuring acoustic musical instruments (piano, percussion, strings, etc.) and electronic components, filters, compressors, effects units and computer software. PVCC commercial music faculty members Jacob Adler (instruments) and Tony Obr (technology) will lead the performance and hold a series of Q & A’s with audience members.

6:00pm-7:00pm: PRE-PERFORMANCE EXHIBITS

Center for the Performing Arts Lobby/Gallery:

• PLAY, located in the SE corner of the gallery, is an interactive sound installation featuring a Theremin (electronic musical instrument) and several audio filters to alter the sound (via guitar effects pedals). Visitors are invited to PLAY the theremin and engage the guitar effects pedals to create unique tambres. In addition, schematic diagrams of the theremin and filters will be displayed for those interested in electronics and engineering.

• D!G, located in the West corner of the gallery. Designed as a dance/installation piece, D!G comprises 22 self-contained microprocessor/sensor/speaker assemblies. Each assembly utilizes a micro SD card to store and playback sensor data and a LiPo battery for power. Sensor/speaker assemblies are covered by hand-made crocheted pieces to give them a more appealing aesthetic. In playback mode in installation, sensors are distributed on string tapestries throughout the gallery. The intention is to allow audiences a more exploratory approach to the sound. Other features of the installation include a subsonic vibrating bench and tablets preloaded with an Android app. All elements work with the concept of the measurement/capture/representation of movement.

7:00-10:00pm: SIGNATURE PERFORMANCES

Center for the Performing Arts Mainstage:

• A new electro-acoustic performance and a multimedia embodiment (visual/audio) of real-time Twitter data. The Twitter data creates a generative graphic score that is interpreted by the performer on percussion instruments. Audience members are encouraged to participate by including the hashtag #SIFTT in their reaction tweets during the performance. Tweets that include the #SIFTT influence the algorithms that generate the audio and visual components of the work.

• A live, improvised, multi-media work that blends digital and analog instruments and processes during a live performance

• A new percussion composition, Omónoia combines specific constellations (listed by Ptolemy) mapped as musical material and visual stimuli. The purpose is to create a graphic score that can be read in any direction. Additionally, the performers participate in creating the score by matching up portions of the score to make a map for performance. Performers use a wide range of implements to create various timbres while occasionally returning to the conventional method of playing the instrument. This piece demonstrates the importance of perspective and how vastly different interpretations can arise from the same material.

• A real-time collaborative performance between two dancers, two musicians and a lighting designer. These five artists come together to compose a piece with light, music and dance in real-time. Each performance offers unique perspectives to the audience as it unfolds. Inspired by the passage of time, this collaboration revels in a temporal ebb and flow via the body, sound and shifting light.

The Western Eye Photography Competition is open to all Maricopa Community College students. Photos must have been taken between November 2014 – October 2015. This year's judge is nationally-acclaimed commercial photographer Rick Gayle.

Cash prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. A ribbon will be awarded for Honorable Mention.

1st place $400

2nd place $200

3rd place $100

Submissions will be accepted October 26 – 28, 2015 at the Eric Fischl Gallery or the Art Program Office in the ART Building at Phoenix College, 1202 W. Thomas Rd. in Phoenix. (602.285.7277)

The deadline for entries is Wednesday, October 28, 2015 by 6:30 p.m. Click here for full details and a downloadable submission form.

All winners will have their photography displayed in the Eric Fischl Gallery at Phoenix College from November 2 – 26, 2015. An opening reception will take place in the Eric Fischl Gallery on Monday, November 2, 2015 from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. All are welcome!

From October 1 - November 30, 2015, Paradise Valley Community College is hosting the Mountain Minorities: Rai and Tamang Cultures of Nepal. The exhibit is on loan to the college from the East-West Center in Honolulu, HI and PVCC is the first mainland host. The curator of the exhibit is Dr. Michael Schuster.

Reception Details

Dr. Schuster will be visiting the college on Tuesday, November 3rd for two presentations and a reception. We will welcome Dr. Schuster to the college on 3 NOV @ 6:30P with a reception and presentation in the Buxton Library. Dr. Schuster will also be presenting @ 12:30p in the library on that same date.

Nepal, high in the Himalayas and the birthplace of the Buddha, is a crossroads between India and China. This small landlocked country is home to a great diversity of peoples, languages, flora, and fauna. Nepal has a population of more than 26 million people,made up of over 80 different ethnic communities. Although people often think of the Sherpas guiding trekkers and mountain climbers up to the Everest base camp, there are many lesser known communities living in the lower ranges of the mountains. These are very isolated communities who are often very poor, and have unique ritual practices, clothing,weavings, paintings, and utensils,many of which are on display. This exhibition will focus on two communities: the Tamang and the Rai peoples.